I can't count the times that my personal life gets put on hold by that darn electric leash of mine going off, otherwise known as the work cell phone because someone needs help, tonight, as in right now, as in before I've even got a chance to look at the menu. No it can't wait, it's a BIG client don't 'cha know?

And of course, none of my other "team" members could be tasked to answer THEIR phones. They all have wives and boyfriends after all, and it'd be rude to expect THEM to come in. Call the single person, they "don't have anyone" so they'll be free!

My boss says he appreciates me, that I'm dedicated, commendable, loyal. Nice words, but they're just words, how about hiring another darn person to work the occasional Friday night so I don't have to? I wasn't even SCHEDULED tonight! And it's not like someone's going to DIE, it just means someone's Email won't work until Monday morning, big deal!

And it's probably not even work related, they probably just can't get into facebook or eBay from the office which they shouldn't be doing anyway. Or that switch on the router we told them to never ever EVER flip? Yeah, they probably flipped it. Why? Hell if I know, because they needed to feel important? Competent? It was shiny? Or they deleted that one big file labeled "Windows" because it was taking up sooooo much space and "didn't look important". *sigh* Of course, I'll go take care of it, it's what I do, but that extra buck an hour means less and less every time this contemptible silicon wafer goes off like a smoke alarm.

I seriously thought about chucking it in the river, but I won't do it, I'm too dang loyal to do it right now, and when I'm finished tonight, I'll be too dang tired, and this place will be closed.

If I could do it all again, I swear to God, I'd be a chicken farmer.

They at least get days off.

Well, that's the backstory to the picture, a little character study (something I experienced all too much back when I used to carry a pager) and a little landscape, all in one.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him eat a salami sandwich.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled CIA intra-cranial broadcasts